Crowley's Apprentice
by YDG
Summary: Okay, so we all know that Crowley is the head of the Ranger Corps, right? But he's only mentioned briefly in some books, therefore leaving most of us with the question: Did he ever have an apprentice? NEW CHAPTER: Chapter 12! R&R!
1. Decisons

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters *sniff sniff* but I do own any OC's that might be in this FanFic**

**Okay, so we all know that Crowley is the head of the Ranger Corps, right? But he's only mentioned briefly in some books, therefore leaving most of us with the question: Did he ever have an apprentice? So I made this story off the top of my head, no pen or paper :D**

**Flame me if you want I can use critisizm :)**

**Please R&R!**

**Also excuse my poor spelling, if any; I am kind of in a hurry :)**

Chapter One:

Decisions

A bright and sunny morning was all that Mikey usually needed in order to start a new day. Today promised perfect weather, he knew. But this day, he knew, would be different. Today was the day that fill every fifteen year old of the Araluen fief's stomach with uncertainty, nervousness, and anxiety. The day that determined your life and what was to become of you

Today was Choosing Day.

Mikey didn't want to get up. He had dreaded this day ever since he had turned fifteen. He hated how your life was chosen for you by other people. People that weren't Mikey. He tried to doze off once more, not wanting to think about the hours awaiting him. Right before he was taken by sleep once more, he was rather loudly interrupted.

"MIKEY! GET UP! TODAY'S THE BIG DAY!"

Great. Just before Mikey dozed off, forgetting his problems, his friend and soon to be ward mate Nicole yelled through the slightly ajar door.

"Damn it," he muttered to himself as he reluctantly rolled out of bed.

Together the five ward mates Mikey, Nicole, Sarah, Todd, and Mike decided to spend as much time with each other before that dreaded hour. They decided to head to the market for a quick bite.

"I wonder what I'll be chosen as," said Nicole. Mikey studied her more closely. She was skinny and in fair shape, probably because of her energetic personality, Mikey thought. Her eyes were a sharp blue that could clear the darkness of anyone's thoughts; especially Mikey's. Her hair was a soft brown, almost blond, that seemed to match her elegant lifestyle. She'd make a perfect courier, Mikey thought.

"Probably a troll to scare off any invader's," boomed Mike. The group laughed.

Mike, although with the same name as Mikey, had a different personality. He's definatley outgoing, Mikey thought. A little flashy maybe, but definatley a fun person to be around.

Nicole scowled at him. Sarah, her best friend, came to Nicole's support.

"Maybe you'll be an example of how little kids' shouldn't act," Sarah retorted.

The group echoed in laughter. Sarah was almost like Nicole, and the two shared a unique relationship. Their friendship was unbreakable. Nothing could tear those two apart.

"Yeah, and what they shouldn't look like either," snickered Todd. Todd was a very laid back person. At times Mikey wouldn't be able to tell if he was calm or just plain lazy. He also has a slight crush on Sarah, which he thinks that no one has noticed.

"Someone's in for a surprise," Mikey said to himself. Now it was his turn to talk.

"Whatever we get, we have to make the most of it," Mikey said mildly.

Mikey, unlike most of his friends, had a distinct personality. He was quiet, for one, and he preferred to stay that way. He was fairly outgoing, but mostly taciturn, which he thought suited him just fine. His hair was black and very well kempt, from previous "experiments" from Nicole and Sarah. He had soft bangs, which at times could be annoying. His hair was long and he decided to keep it that way. Mikey's eyes were, like Nicole's, a sharp blue. The first thing people usually brought up upon first meeting Mikey were how blue his eyes were, which got old very fast. He was skinny for his age, with an average height of a fifteen year old.

"Of course," exerted Mike.

"And we have to promise that we'll visit each other as often as possible," said Nicole.

The group knew that because of their different personalities, they would probably be chosen for extremely different professions. Times like these would be rare, thanks to their upcoming schedules as apprentices. The group knew this and wanted to make the most out of their last day; especially Mikey. He loved his friends and couldn't imagine a world without them. He would miss Mike and his friendly insults. He would miss Todd and Sarah and the denial of love that flows between the two. But he would miss Nicole the most. No longer would she be there to share feelings with. She wouldn't be there to wish him a happy birthday or a Harvest day. She wouldn't be there to cheer his low spirits when the time arose.

"This is going to be hard," he said , to no one in particular.

He had no idea that his future mentor had just said the exact same thing.

**Well, that's it for the first chapter, I won't on regularly, as I have a tight schedule coming up, even after school lets out. **

**I'm running out of ideas already so if you have requests go for it!**

**-YDG (YuhDig!)**


	2. Apprentice?

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice series or any of the characters (sadface) but I do own any OCs' that might be in this story**

**I'm Back!**

**With another chapter that's off the top of my head! This chapter is going to be relatively short. I have too many things to do this week. **

**Sorry for any structural or spelling errors; I'm typing this in a hurry!**

**Just a quick thanks to Luvergirlofbooks for reviewing!**

**Now on to the Story!**

Chapter 2

Apprentice?

"I just don't think I'm ready for an apprentice," Crowley argued. He looked out of his window. _Nice morning,_ he thought.

Halt was visiting before Choosing time. They discussed their future apprentices, as well as other topics, like Mogarath's whereabouts and his plans.

"Well, I wasn't all that ready for Gilan," countered the legendary Ranger Halt. "But I guess you can say he was thrown at me."

Crowley laughed at Halt's last statement. He had heard of Gilan's antics that involved Halt, and how he "secretly" followed him. On one fine day Gilan just so happened to follow Halt to a stream. Upon trying to sneak on his future mentor, Gilan was quickly apprehended and tossed into the stream. He later became Halt's apprentice and turned in to quite the unseen mover, Crowley thought.

Halt sensed the mistake he made and quickly moved on.

"I mean, he can't possibly be that bad," Halt said mildly.

"He's not bad at all. He's just. . more like you," Crowley replied, making no attempts to conceal the grin that was slapped across his face.

Halt raised his trademark eyebrow to Crowley's last remark.

"Like me," Halt asked quizzically. "Explain."

"Well, lets see," Crowley started. "He's, quiet, quiet, and well, QUIET!"

Halt was getting annoyed. He had been friends with Crowley ever since he first stepped foot in Araluen. Throughout the years, Crowley could never cease to amaze Halt with how annoying he could possibly be.

"Well excuse us and people with quiet lifestyles," Halt replied. "I guess were just too abnormal for society."

Crowley saw no other reason to pick on his friend and decided to change the subject.

"So, do you plan on taking that boy as your apprentice? Will, is that his name?

"Yes," Halt replied. "It's about time I taught him how to steal in a quiet manner," referring to Will's frequent stealing of delicious treats from Master Chubb's kitchen. The humor in his voice was dry.

Crowley laughed, as he often does.

"Well, I hope he can cope with your abnormal personality as well as Gilan did," He chuckled.

All Halt could do was sigh as he exited Crowley's cabin.

Meanwhile, Mikey lay in his bed, wondering about his future. He looked out of his window. _Nice morning, _he thought. He had a long while until Choosing time. His mind wandered, as it always does. What if he was chosen for battleschool? Sure, he thought; if he wanted to die within the first week. Scribeschool? Mikey was by no means unintelligent. He was actually one of the most intelligent in the fief, especially in war tactics. All that was left in his personal interest was Chefschool and the Ranger Corps. Cooking wasn't really his forte. Rangers? He has heard many rumors about them, some of which included some legendary Ranger named Halt. _Some name _, he thought. He was almost completely lost in thought when Nicole gracefully walked into his room

"Mikey?" Nicole asked quietly.

Mikey, realizing that he lost in his thoughts once more, replied.

"Oh! Nicole! I didn't see you there. Uh. . Hey," he said awkwardly.

Nicole sensed there was something wrong. She had grown up with Mikey all of her life. They had grown to be great friends, possibly something more, and the feeling was mutual. She frowned.

"Nervous?" she asked.

Mikey decided that there would be no use in lying to her. He gave in.

"Yeah," he replied.

"What for?"

"I just. . . don't know where I belong, that's all."

Nicole moved closer to Mikey and lay her head on his shoulders. Mikey made no attempt to resist. He knew that they were something more than just friends.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Mikey's mind began to wander off once again, and the steady stream of questions started over.

"What would happen if I got chosen for battleschool? What if I don't like it? What if I get chosen for scribeschool? I'm not that smart! What if I get chosen for chefschool? What if-"

Mikey's thoughts were ceased by the soft touch of Nicole's lips on his cheeks. A simple kiss. But this kiss was more then just affection. It was reassurance, which Mikey needed desperately.

"Don't worry about it," Nicole said softly. "You always tell us to make the best out of life, now it's your turn," she said as she stood up. She soon felt the same weird feeling Mikey felt just moments ago.

" I have to go," she began. "Sarah and I are going to get ready," she said as she walked out of his room, as quiet as her entry.

Mesmerized, Mikey regained himself. He dropped back down on the bed as his mind pondered once more.

"Hmpf," Mikey said. "It'll probably be scribeschool," he decided.

He didn't know how completely wrong he could be at times.

**Well, that got weird. . .**

**That's going to be it for this love/fluffyness thing for a while.**

**Anyway don't forget to review. **

**I'm still taking ideas for the upcoming chapters**

**-YDG (YahDig?)**


	3. Down To This

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Well, after slaving for time, I finally get a chance to update. Ill try to do this as frequently as possible.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice series or any of its characters. However, I do own any OC's that might be in this story**

**The couple chapters after this will be dedicated to my friend, Jesse. I went on my myspace for the first time in about two years and I found out that one of my good friends got known in an acoustic project known as "Halfway Deserted". Of course I got all excited cuz hey, I know someone famous now :D jkjk but we're good friends and I plan on starting an acoustic project myself.**

**So, basically what this means is that I'm going to change the story up a little bit. Im going to make Mikey have a musical side to his life. I'll probably introduce that after Mikey gets apprenticed to Crowley.**

**Enough about me, On to the Story!**

Chapter Three

Down To This

_Choosing time_

The area is dense, and nervousness and anticipation filled the air of the Araluen fief. Well, at least for Mikey it did. _Why, _he thought. _Why must an area with such high expectations be so nerve racking? _The constant chatter amongst the fifteen year olds around him provided no answer. He glanced ahead of him. He had a while until his name was even close to being called. He took a seat by a nearby table.

Then he simply waited, studying the expressions and body languages of each and every adolescent that walked past him. _Mostly nervous,_ he mused. He saw the mentally exhausted faces that were filled with uncertainty. He was so taken by his thoughts that he didn't even notice Sarah casually sit down next to him.

"Thinking again," she asked, wondering if she'll even receive acknowledgement from her long time friend.

Mikey, now interrupted from his musing, turned to see his ward mate Sarah.

"Yeah," he smiled weakly, the tension in both his reply and smile apparent. Sarah continued.

"The other's were picked already," she explained. Nicole was chosen as a corier. Apprenticed to Lady Alexandra."

Mikey smiled. "Suits her perfectly," was his only reply. Then they both waited in silence.

The silence was growing painstakingly annoying, ruining Mikey's mood even more. Despratley trying to end this, Mikey was about to speak when Sarah stood up.

"It's my turn," she said. Mikey now stood up and they embraced in a friendly hug

"Good luck," he whispered to his childhood companion.

"You too," replied Sarah.

After she had left, Mikey soon went back to observing his age group, this time more closely. He scanned their faces, seeing if anyone had not felt nervous at all. He felt a little at ease now that he wasn't the only one going through tough times, but his relief was only short lived as his own name was called. Reluctantly, he followed the attendant into a room where many have walked in previously.

He bowed respectively to the Baron and King. _Please don't screw up_, were his only thoughts.

"Mikey," Baron Davidson began. "We have been watching you for quite some time, and we are all fairly impressed.

"Thank you, my lord," Mikey choked, but nodding his head in gratitude. He hated the Baron's term "fairly impressed." From a young age he had found some way to make himself believe that he should always succeed, in everything and everything. The Baron's last statement had just ruined his mood even more, Mikey thought.

Mikey did a quick scan of the room. He saw Sir Quinn. He also saw people like the chef, the scribeschool instructor, and many other individuals in which he deemed unimportant. But there was another presence. One watching him closely. Mikey couldn't render the man's face, as it was hidden neatly behind his mottled green gray cloak. _Ranger, _He thought. He soon realized that he was staring and quickly turned away.

Out the corner of his eye he noticed that the Sir Quinn was starting toward him.

"Hmm. . ." he said as he examined Mikey closer. Mikey felt awkward. "Too small for battleschool," he said casually as he walked away, disappointed.

Even though he never planned on it, the denial of battleschool was still enough to send his confidence spiraling downward. He tried to keep his composure.

One by one different professions walked up, denied and walked away. His confidence was almost drained, but he still amazingly kept his composure. There were still quite a lot of people left. But then Mikey saw what used to be the shady, silent Ranger walking toward him. He immediately felt tense.

Then, the man stopped, as if making his decision he had even reached Mikey. He pulled down the cowl that hung over his head, revealing a somewhat friendly looking man. He then raised his hand and said

"I, Ranger Crowley of Araluen Fief, agree to train Mikey as my apprentice."

The crowd fell silent, eyes focused now on Mikey.

Then, as if zapped by a mysterious spirit, Mikey felt all sense of pride and composure vanish, as well as the color from his face. He was as pale as a ghost. _Ranger?_ he asked himself. He had heard rumors from around the fief that they were filled with sorcery. He felt like throwing up. Was his life really condemned to this?

Thank god that beneath his streaks of bangs, no one could see the his widened eyes that stared at the ground in utter horror.

**That's it!**

**I kind of ran out of things to say at the end :p**

**But, im finished, at 10:30 at night. *sigh* **

**Don't forget to review!**

**The next chunk of chapters will be about his apprenticeship, and how he meets characters like, Will, Horace, Halt, and so on.**

**-YDG (YahDig?)**


	4. Housewarming

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Man, that last chapter was pretty long, huh :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice series or any of its characters. I do own any OC's that might be in this story.**

**This chapter will be about his Mikey after about a week as Crowley's apprentice, as well as his musical side, which I promised. :D**

**Thanks to Dodo.123 for the advice! I'll try not to switch from past to present so much!**

**Now before I start, I want to say that I don't know if they even guitars back then. But they had lutes, erm. . I mean Mandolas . So I kind of inferred that they had guitars as well.**

**Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors, my spell check is being kind of weird right now**

**On To The Story!**

Chapter Four

Housewarming

Mikey had finished getting situated in his new room. A nice one, he thought. Not too big or too small. The cabin itself had actually looked quite cozy from a distance. His mentor, Crowley, was actually not some crazy, wicked sorcerer at all. Mikey laughed. How did he manage to believe that garbage, He silently asked himself. He's generous for the most part, and holds high regard for Mikey. He also has a strong sense of humor. A little too strong, almost on the verge of annoying, Mikey pondered silently, wondering if anybody else thought the same. He felt a warm, relaxing feeling, now that he realized that this was the place he would now call home.

Mikey sat down at the table, silently the favored Ranger drink, coffee. He glanced down at his chores list; the one Crowley had left him. He had woken up, far before his usual wake time, to this note that was placed neatly on the kitchen table. It read:

_I'm running errands over by the castle. Here is your list of chores:_

_Clean the stable_

_Fetch some water_

_Clean the dishes_

_Tidy up the cabin_

_Practice shooting at least a hundred times. Focus on Accuracy._

_Have Fun :)_

_-Crowley_

Mikey frowned. "Was that supposed to be funny," he asked, not expecting an answer. He quickly went through the list again. _This is going to take quite some time, _He decided. "better get started," he cheerfully said as walked out the door into the warm summer morning, seeking his bow and an ample amount of arrows as he did so.

MEANWHILE! :D

Crowley had finished his errands much earlier to his surprise. He had been discussing many topics in the castle, the main one being Mogarath and his plans to revolt. Now he was strolling through the market, on his way back to his cabin to check on Mikey, expecting to see the chores he had left him finished, and his shot in good shape. _Good kid, _he thought. Crowley had watched Mikey in his youth. He was one to carry out tasks and duties, no matter the difficulty. But he very often got lost in thought, something that could easily get him in trouble in the near future. His temper was relatively normal, and had excellent composure. "Reminds me of someone ," he said to himself, knowing exactly who the person was.

He was still passing through the market when an idea struck him. He thought it would be nice to get Mikey a housewarming present. Crowley thought that Mikey was still tense and uncomfortable, like he was the first couple days of his apprenticeship. He was completely oblivious to how quickly settled in and comfortable Mikey had actually gotten. He passed a small shop which at the window held a nice looking acoustic guitar, but at a pretty expensive price of Seventy Royals. (**Was that their form of currency**?) Crowley knew from watching Mikey that he was extremely fond of music.He could get it cheaper with a little bargaining, he thought as he walked into the store.

"I'll buy this lovely looking guitar from you for thirty Royals," Crowley proposed.

The merchant eyed Crowley closely. He had heard a lot about these cloaked, mysterious figures, and had grown to have a low regard for them.

"Sixty-Five," said the men, sounding a little irritated.

"How about forty-five," Crowley offered, hoping for this to be a final price.

"Forty-seven," the merchant replied, in a pretentious manner.

Now Crowley was getting annoyed. This merchant was really getting on his nerves, he thought. But he had other ways of dealing with people like this, rather than throwing them into moats like someone he knew. Now it was his turn to act smug. He turned his back to the merchant and started to walk.

"I guess I won't be buying it," he said in mock disappointment. "What a shame."

The merchant, knowing this trick all too well, decided to give up and settle with forty five Royals. He sighed.

"Forty-five," he reluctantly said. Crowley smiled as he turned around with currency in hand.

"Deal," he said.

Back at the cabin, Mikey was now relaxing on his bed. It was around sunset now and he had just finished his chores. He even shot another couple hundred arrows, and his arms were paying from the stress. Now he wondered what his friends were up too. Todd, to Mikey's surprise, was chosen for battleschool, despite his lazy personality. Mikey smiled. _What time he's having,_ he thought. He was yet to hear about the others.

From a distance he heard the soft, rhythmic sound of hoofs he knew as Crowley's beloved horse _Sonic. _It had only been a few days since he himself had received his own horse, _Silver. _Named after how he sometimes glistens in the bright sun, the mysterious Old Bob saw this as a perfect name for the Ranger horse.

"I'm home Mike," Crowley said a little loudly, making sure that his apprentice heard him.

Mikey had never been called Mike, since that was the name of his former ward mate. But not caring at this particular moment. He entered the living room too see Crowley holding a case shaped in the form of an acoustic guitar. Mikey instantly smiled.

"I got you something," handing the guitar over to his apprentice. "a little housewarming gift."

Mikey retrieved that guitar from his mentor's grip. He loved music. He knew how to play almost everything, and usually spent most of his free time back at the ward writing his own compositions. Mikey beamed.

"Thanks! How'd you know I liked music so much?"

Crowley smiled. "Lucky guess," he lied. "Try not to sound too bad," he jokingly remarked.

Whether that was a joke or a friendly insult Mikey couldn't tell. Whatever it was, Mikey was too elated to even ask.

"Go relax," Crowley began. "Dinner will be ready shortly."

Mikey started back toward his room. He examined his new guitar closely. It was expertly crafted. Any doubts he had about the Rangers and Crowley were merely gone. Now that he had music, he could be himself again. Silently, he said another thanks to his mentor as he reached his bed. He unlocked his case, took out the guitar, and immediately started playing.

Mikey smiled once more. _"_Some sorcery," he quietly said as he broke out into song.

**I always find myself running out of things to say at the end. =)**

**Did anyone notice the theme in the horses' names? **

**Anyone? Heh heh. . . *awkward laugh***

**Never mind. . . . **

**Anyway, don't forget to review! Also expect another chapter tomorrow, It's one of the days when I don't have a game :)**

**-YDG (YahDig?)**


	5. Silver Oneshot

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice series, but I do own any OC's that might be in the story.**

**Hey!**

**Back Again!**

**I'm going against Dodo.123's advice! I'm rethinking the plot of this whole thing, so, i'm going do a little oneshot about how Mikey got his horse, Silver. **

**THIS IS BEFORE THE EVENTS IN CHAPTER FOUR!**

**On to the Story!**

Chapter 5

Silver

It was a unusually bright morning, Mikey thought as he and Crowley were walking somewhere. Crowley had told him, but he quickly forgot in his half asleep state. His mentor had denied the use of coffee until MIkey got used to waking up at this time. Worse, he had dragged him out way before sunlight. They've been walking for hours now. It had been only two days since he was apprenticed. But e started to feel as if there was nothing to worry about in the presence of this man He wasn't exactly comfortable yet, but even in his short coming, he already felt that he could trust Crowley.

Mikey questioned this now as they were walking through the forest floor to an unknown place.

"Where are we going," Mikey asked wearily. Crowley looked down at his apprentice, surprised that he spoke for once. Then he smiled.

"It's a surprise," Crowley chirped. Mikey frowned. _Someone's a morning person,_ he thought.

"Well, it's definatley a surprise that I find myself wandering through the forest at the crack of dawn," Mikey protested. Crowley laughed.

"It gets better, trust me," he chuckled.

_That didn't sound to good,_ Mikey mused. It was almost like a weird foreshadowing, like something bad was going to happen.

"I hope so," Mikey remarked.

Even though Crowley kept a straight face, he felt like bursting into laughter. Mikey was going to get his Ranger horse. Almost everybody, including Crowley himself, has had their "introduction," to their shaggy companions. He was actually very interested to see Mikey's reaction to what was going to unfold.

After what seemed like an eternity, Mikey finally saw a cabin in the distance. That had to be their destination, or else his legs would physically detach from his body. His silent question was confirmed as Crowley spoke.

"We're here," was his two word statement. Mikey sighed.

"Finally," he said, a little louder than usual.

As they approached the cabin, Mikey began to wonder why they had come here in the first place. Surely it had to be important, for his mentor wouldn't wake him up this early for nothing; or so he thought. Rather than using the traditional way of entering one's property, Mikey followed the older Ranger to the back of this cabin, revealing a spacious stable with a wide variety of horses inhabiting it.

"Old Bob," Crowley began. "It's great to see you again."

Mikey, taking his eyes off these beautiful creatures, turned to see a pretty aged man. He was quite small, as the theme was for most Rangers. _Better let Crowley take this one, _he decided.

"Crowley? Is that you," the old man asked loudly. "What a pleasure. Who's the skinny fellow you got there?"

Mikey frowned. "Am I really that small," he quietly asked his master.

Crowley laughed silently, providing an answer for his young apprentice. "My apprentice, Mikey," he calmly replied. The horse trainer now switched his attention to Mikey.

"You know, you really need to gain a few," Old Bob remarked. Now it was Mikey's turn to have fun.

"Looks who's talking, your not that big either, buddy," Mikey added emphasis on the last word. Crowley thought that this might be worth a good laugh and decided to intervene later.

"Well, I used to be big and strong, but then I started to _shrink_," said Old Bob.

"Sh. . Shrink?" asked Mikey, a little concerned.

"Yep, started when I done growing," stated the horse trainer. Crowley noticed that he was only pulling Mikey's leg and joined in.

"Yes, happened to me too," he began. "By the looks of it, it's going to start very soon for you."

"Me?" Mikey asked, now very frightened. _Me? Short and weak, _he asked himself. His voice cracked a little

"Yes, you. And it'll leave you even smaller and weaker than before.

"Nooo!" Mikey yelled, now scared out of his mind. The other two burst into laughter. Mikey had realized that they were only joking and immediately turned a distinct shade of red in embarrassment.

"I hate you guys," Mikey muttered, not even sure the two heard him beneath the uncontrollable laughter.

The three reached a small stable which held smaller sized ponies and mares. Old Bob then looked at Mikey very closely, similar to how Sir Quinn looked during Choosing Day, and then came up with his decision. In a couple minutes, Mikey was greeted by a shaggy looking pony. He was silver to the point where he almost gleamed in the summer sun. Unsure, Mikey walked up to the waiting pony.

_Do you even weigh anything? _the pony's expression seemed to ask.

"This here is Silver, you new Ranger horse," Crowley started. "Try and mount him."

Reluctantly, Mikey tried to mount Silver and sure enough, he was immediately launched about 8 feet in the air. He landed harshly on the dirt floor that lay beneath him.

"Owwww! Mikey yelled. "Was that supposed to happen?

Crowley and Old Bob were laughing uncontrollably again. Crowley managed to say "Try again and see what he does."

Once again, Mikey tried to mount Silver again and was rocketed again into the air, this time even higher than before.

"Ahhhhhh!," screamed the apprentice Ranger as he was dropped to the ground with a satisfying crash.

Time and time again, Mikey tried to mount his pony and continued to get thrown off. Now bloody, bruised, and with a sprained wrist, he struggled to get up.

"I cant help it," Mikey exclaimed painfully. "He dosent like me!"

"Did you ask him first?" Crowley asked while in tears.

Mikey sighed. He stumbled his way back to the pony, and weakly asked, "May I?" and tried to remount, expecting to be thrown off another time. Suprisingly, the Silver pony responded by shaking its head. _Are you kidding me? _He asked himself in defeat.

After a quick tending to his bruises, Mikey and Crowley set off for Araluen fief again, more slowly than usual, to save the pain that rushed through MIkey's bruised ribs. The pain wasn't going away, but he could deal with it until they got back to the cabin.

"How was that?" Crowley asked.

"I dunno, why don't you ask my wounds?" Mikey replied.

After what would seem like a horrible day, Mikey was glad that he now had a horse, and bonded just a little bit closer with his mentor than before. Little by little he felt more comfortable around Crowley, despite his "Crowley humor". _Maybe they're not sorcerers, _he thought after all.

He would soon question that thought repeatedly throughout his apprenticeship.

**Wow, that was a pretty long oneshot.**

**And yes, I just invented the term "Crowley humor."**

**Anyway don't forget to review! Thanks!**

**-YDG (YahDig?)**


	6. Redmont Pt1

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Hey everybody!**

**I thought that I might update today since I have nothing to do. I couldn't update yesterday because. . .**

**MY TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAM IS 3****RD**** IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS!**

**Sorry, I got excited. But I did have a game yesterday that lasted a while (about 3 ½ hours)**

**Anyway I don't plan on updating that much, I have practice everyday now and I'm getting ready to drop a new EP for my acoustic project, Through The Sky**

**Oh, and btw it's Mikey not Mickey :D**

**This is going to be a two part chapter, since I prefer not to have a single chapter that's 2000 words long :p.**

**Enough about me, now how about that story?**

Chapter Six:

Redmont (Part One)

"All right, we've covered everything I had in store today. Now lets go home." Crowley said. They had been training since sun up to sun down. After all, the head of the Ranger Corps can't let his own apprentice slip behind.

"Thank god," Mikey sighed to himself. Throughout the day, he had trained using Crowley's agonizing conditioning. It consisted sprinting and shooting continuously for thirty minutes at a time. If he slowed down to as much as a jog, he had to start from the beginning. He was allowed a short ten minute break, but it didn't do anything major for his constant heavy breathing. He was drenched in sweat. Looking forward to a soothing, scalding hot bath, he mounted his horse, Silver.

On the ride back to the cabin, Mikey studied the forest around him, searching every sound in movement, as Crowley instructed him to. He looked over at his mentor expecting him to be doing the same, only to see him relaxed. He did the same.

"Big day tomorrow," Crowley started. "We're heading over to Redmont to join Halt and his apprentice in a boar hunt."

Mikey had heard that name before. It was almost common talk in the markets of Araluen.

"Isn't Halt that legendary Ranger, who's over six feet tall," the young man asked.

"Well, he is legendary I suppose. But he isn't exactly what I'd call tall if you asked me," Crowley replied quietly. "He isn't the happiest soul either."

"What do you mean Crowley?" Mikey interrogated.

"You'll see," Crowley replied, smiling slightly, leaving his apprentice in thought. He wished that he could see Mikey's reaction to Crowley's long time friend. Unfortunately being the head Ranger, there were tasks to be done.

"So, when are we leaving?" another question seemingly flowed from Mikey's lips.

"_You're _leaving tomorrow morning, I have some things to take care of," replied Crowley. Mikey didn't dare to ask Crowley what he was going to do. He had learned previously that if asked a question involving Crowley and his antics, he received a quick "None of your business."

That night, Mikey lay in his bed, his thoughts running wild again. He wondered who this "Halt" really was. "What the hell kind of name is Halt anyway?" he asked himself. He also wondered who his apprentice was. Crowley had mentioned his name. _Will,_ he remembered. His mind wandered until he was too tired for thought. Heavy eyelids closing, sleep was calling his name. Without resist, Mikey fell asleep instantly.

Early the next morning, Crowley knew that Mikey had to be wide awake in order to stay under Halt's patience. He prepared two steaming cups of fresh coffee as he started for Mikey's room. Seeing his apprentice sprawled out in his bed, covers over his head, rather than gently shaking him awake, Crowley used a more direct awakening. He pulled out Mikey's pillow from underneath his head. Then he ripped the covers off Mikey's body, all in record time.

"Wake up! Big day," was all he said as swiftly exited Mikey's room, hearing him silently curse to him himself as he shook himself awake.

"Damn it Crowley, just a couple more minutes," said Mikey as he lifted himself out of bed. He rustled hair into shape, slipped on his clothes for the day, packed extra clothes, and was out his room in an instant.

He saw his mentor smiling as he read through reports, sipping his coffee.

"Thanks for the gentle wake up, I really appreciated it," remarked Mikey sarcastically as he picked up his own mug of coffee.

"Always willing to help," Crowley said, not taking his eyes off his reports.

Mikey scowled at him. He soon finished his coffee, grunting exclusively at its delicious taste. He stood up from the chair and stretched.

"I guess I'll head out now," said Mikey, sounding more like a question rather than a statement.

"Yes. Once you get there, look for a cabin around the outskirts of town. And don't get lost," he chuckled.

Mikey sighed as he realized that Crowley had tried to crack a joke. He picked up his Recurve bow and started for the door. Before he left, Crowley said one more thing.

"Oh, and watch for his abnormal personality."

Not knowing what this meant, Mikey said nothing as departed for Redmont.


	7. Redomont Pt2

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Back again!**

**Had nothing to do, so I decided to update a little early**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Rangers Apprentice series or any of its characters. I do own any OC's that might be in this story.**

**This is part two of Redmont. Mikey finally meets Halt and Will for the first time.**

Chapter Seven:

Redmont (Pt. 2)

Even though he had to be there by noon, Mikey and his beloved horse Silver, moved at a slow canter to admire the beautiful weather. There were no signs of rain, and the breeze was gentle. It had been half an hour since Mikey had left Crowley's cabin. Double checking his packed belongings once more, he forgot something that was fairly important to him. "My guitar!" Mikey reminded himself as he turned his pony around, back towards the cabin.

Back at the cabin, Crowley was just about to leave for another day of errands as he heard the almost silent hoofbeats that he registered as Silver. Confused, he opened the door and saw his apprentice. He immediately knew.

"Guitar," Crowley asked calmly. Mikey looked at him quizzically.

"Yeah," he began. "How'd . . . you know?"

"Oh please, you can't go for more than thirty minutes without tending to it." Crowley answered as he handed Mikey the perfectly constructed wooden guitar that he had bought during the first couple days of Mikey's apprenticeship.

"Now get going if you plan on getting there before noon." Crowley said.

Mikey departed once again, this time moving faster than before. Being the apprentice to a Ranger, Mikey knew every shortcut and secret roads that lay in Araluen. Instead of taking the traditional route the neighboring fief of Redmont, Mikey took a detour into the forest.

Mikey looked up at the sun. He only had about an hour until noon. Crowley had told him that if he wanted to stay alive he would be there by noon. Urging Silver into a canter, Mikey sped through the forest. But something didn't seem right. Silver whined, alerting his master. "I know," said Mikey reassuringly. Rather than looking directly at what was hiding from him, Crowley had taught him that peripheral vision was more effective. Pretending not to notice, Mikey unsheathed his throwing knife. He anticipated where his target would move and purposely aimed above and fired. His knife slammed into a nearby tree, scaring the intruder out of hiding. Mikey dismounted.

"Ahhhhhhhhh," the bandit yelled as he charged for the frail boy. Mikey knew from previous years that the most effective way to take down a charging target is to take out his legs. Mikey moved with blazing speed toward his target. With a quick jab to the stomach, the bandit doubled over in pain. Mikey then kicked his legs from underneath him, then finished him off with a blow to the chest, knocking the intruder out.

Physically unscathed , Mikey wondered what to do with the limp body that lay before him. Figuring that he had no time whatsoever, he bonded his wrists together with some rope he had packed for this exact purpose. He also bonded his feet together so that he would have difficulty getting up once he awoke from his beating.

Mikey started back towards Silver, who had seen everything.

_That was fast, _the horse seemed to say.

"Were going to have to really hurry now," he said has he remounted Silver. He urged him into an even faster gallop than before.

Reaching Redmont in record time, Mikey soon realized that he still had quite some time. Slowing his pony down, he explored the large fief of Redmont. Feeling hungry from what had happened earlier, he decided to buy food at the market. Crowley had given him enough money. When Mikey asked why, Crowley had simply replied, "Just in case." Mikey said a silent thanks as he entered the market grounds.

After a quick lunch, Mikey headed over to his original destination: The legendary Ranger Halt's cabin. Making his way through the huge fief, Mikey soon found a cabin looking somewhat identical to Crowley's, located on the edge of the forest. He led his horse into the cabin's stable as he walked up to the door.

He didn't even knock when the door was opened by a grim looking Ranger. His hair was unkempt and he had a beard that seemed to have traces of gray. He was nowhere near six feet tall, but he wasn't short either.

"uh. . . Halt?" Mikey asked, not knowing what the figure staring at him would say.

Halt stared at this boy closely. His hair was long with bangs that blew in the breeze. His eyes were a vibrant blue that almost looked unnatural. He was average height for his age but a little on the skinnier side. After seeing the backpack that he was carrying, he knew that this was Crowley's apprentice, Mikey.

'You must be Mikey," Halt started. Then the trace of a smile touched his lips. "Can you be any skinnier?"

"Can your name be any weirder," Mikey retorted. Halt stared at him once more. _This is Crowley's apprentice, all right _he thought.

Halt sighed as he realized that he had just been countered. "Come in," he said as he stood aside, letting the skeleton of a boy in his cabin.

**Alright, im going to end it here. I just had the perfect idea of how Mikey is going to meet Will, and I don't want to jam everything into one chapter.**

**Don't forget to Review**!

**-YDG?**


	8. Weird Names vs Body Frames

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Oneshot Time!**

**Second update today :)**

**This is a little oneshot of the Halt: Weird Name vs Mikey: Body Frame**

**Second Oneshot of Crowley's Apprentice**

**Here we go!**

Chapter Eight:

Weird Name vs. Body Frame (Oneshot)

"So what's wrong with my body exactly?" asked Mikey curiously, sitting down at the table in Halt's cabin. He had arrived about fifteen minutes ago.

"Nothing in particular," Halt said while preparing two cups of coffee. "Besides the fact that your ten times smaller than the average individual."

"It's better than being fat," Mikey countered. "Besides, you're not that big either."

"But I have more muscle, unlike you who consist of skin and bones," Halt brought up.

"Well, at least I my name's normal," Mikey said as he grasped the mug gratefully.

Halt raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with Halt," he asked interrogatively.

"Nothing in particular," Mikey mimicked. "Besides the fact that it means the word stop! I mean, did your mom have problems or something?"

Halt was a little angered by Mikey's question. But it soon vanished as he realized that he was only joking. "No, she didn't. And for your information I come from a royal bloodline." Halt stated.

"Sure dosen't look like it," Mikey muttered, his mouth covered by the mug that was pressed against his lips. Halt scowled at the skinny teenager. _He is REALLY Crowley's apprentice,_ he thought.

"I bet you had siblings, right?" Mikey asked the older Ranger.

"Correct ," Halt answered, wondering where Mikey was going with this.

"I bet their names were Hold, Cease, and Freeze, right?" Mikey asked again, a broad smile on his face.

Halt in turn, did not smile. He stared at the boy that was in his cabin. He wondered if Crowley had something to do with Mikey's "interesting" humor.

"No, their names were Gain, More, and Weight!" Halt answered. Mikey, seemingly unaltered by Halt's statement, still had a smile on his face.

"Hmm. . . weird names," Mikey said, laughing a little.

"Well," Mikey stood up. "I guess I'll go unpack my things, then go train a little," he said as he walked over to where the rooms were.

Halt, although his relationship with Mikey got off to a rather humorous start, was glad that his temporary second apprentice wasn't as grim and silent as himself. _This could actually get interesting over time,_ Halt thought. _Just wait until he meets Will_. The ghost of a smile came over him.

"Uh. . . Halt? Which room is mine?"

Halt sighed, but still smiling. "The one that's empty Mikey."

"Oh. . . Thanks!"

_Oh yeah,_ Halt thought. _This is REALLY going to get interesting._

**That's it.**

**I wanted to keep this under 500 words, but it will probably go over once I upload this**

**Probably not going to update tomorrow. **

**Peace!**

**-YDG?**


	9. Fight Pt1

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I don't own the Ranger's Apprentice series or any of its characters. I do own Mikey and other OC's that are in this story.**

**Hey guys, im back!**

**Sorry for not updating in forever.**

**Anyway this is when Mikey meets Will for the first time, as well as Horace and a few others.**

**Thanks to Luvergirlofbooks for pointing my errors out. I was typing particularly fast, but I have more time now hopefully.**

**On To the Story!  
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Chapter Nine:

Fight

Redmont: A fief that's noticeably larger than the other forty nine, with Araluen fief included. It was a glorious place to be during late autumn. Mikey stared in awe as he passed the massive trees painted bright orange and red, and the blooming flowers that swayed softly in the crisp breeze. Riding on his pony, Silver, whom he had formed a strong bond with over the days, Mikey entered the mainland. It was busy, as expected from such a large share of land.

"Look for a cloak," Mikey quietly said to himself as he scanned the well populated area in front of him. He hoped off of Silver, the thought of being stolen never crossing his mind. He remembered what happened just barely two weeks ago, when trying to mount Silver for the first time. He still felt the impact of the hard, unforgiving Earth as he slammed against it. He gently touched his still bruised ribs, and got a slight twinge of pain as he did so.

Walking through town, Mikey saw absolutely no one who looked remotely close to a Ranger. He thought about heading back to Halt's cabin, which gave him an unusually cozy feeling considering how he had only been there long enough to unpack his belongings when Halt kicked him out. "Go find Will. He should be around the mainland," he had told Mikey mildly.

Almost reaching the edge of forest, Mikey now strongly considered turning back when he saw a group of five from a distance. Based on their body language, Mikey could easily tell that they were uneasy. Deciding to watch a little bit more, he moved slowly to another point, one where he could see much more easily. Very close to the action now, Mikey didn't utter a sound. He watched closely.

"Oh, I see the baby brought a friend," one of the boys said, putting emphasis on the word "baby". The boy was stocky and fairly tall. An apprentice warrior, Mikey thought. Based on the how his two accomplices stood a respective distance behind this stocky figure, Mikey decided that he was the leader of this little "Trilogy" as Crowley would say whenever they would confront a group of three.

"That's okay Alda," another boy said, the smugness radiating from his voice. "We'll beat the mess out of him too!"

_Alda, _Mikey thought. Further into thought, Mikey decided to postpone his appearance even longer.

"Yeah, him and his baby friend," the third one shouted, putting emphasis on the degrading word, much like his friend. Now the other side spoke.

"Leave us alone," the defending boy spoke. He was big for his age, but in an athletic way. "We'll handle this back in the dorms."

"Are you sure Horace?" the figure beside him asked. Compared to his friend, the boy was miniscule. He wore the mandatory green-gray cloak that Ranger's wore. His muscles were developing, probably because of constant shooting. That still couldn't distract you from his extremely small body frame. _This must be Will_, Mikey thought, unsuprised.

Horace Altman started to answer when a figure stepped out of virtual nowhere. Dressed in a cloak similar to Will's, Horace knew that was the other apprentice Will had told him about. With a newfound confidence, Horace waited as the skinny apprentice casually walked forward, a nonchalant expression covering his face.

"What's going on here?" Mikey asked mildly. His question was soon answered by another as one of the boys named Alda stepped up bravely.

"Oh great, another forest rat," he snickered. His two friends laughed in response. "What's your name?"

Mikey, though somewhat surprised at this boy's size, had unfortunately dealt with people such as Alda. And it usually didn't end very well for the perpetrator.

"Names aren't important," he started. "Supper is. And none of us are going to get any if we keep fooling around."

Will smiled a little. He had been told the same exact thing by his grim mentor, Halt, just a couple of days ago.

"Right," began Alda. "So lets get this over with so we can all go HOME!" he grunted while saying home as he threw the first punch at Mikey. It was a simple jab to the stomach, but it had ample force behind it. Stumbling a little, Mikey avidly regained his balance as he delivered his own crushing blow to the bigger boy's jaw, jerking him back five feet. The other two boys went for their intended targets.

Running towards Horace, the other stocky figure, named Bryn as Mikey would find out later, yelled as he ran and leaped for Horace's face while clenching his fists. Horace expertly anticipated this and swiftly moved around Bryn, followed by a bone crushing punch to the ribs. Crying in pain, the attacker fell to the ground.

Noticing all of this, Will didn't have time to realize that the third boy, named Jerome, was running towards him. He punched Will in the side of the head, sending him stumbling back. He barely had time to react as barrage of kicks and punches were delivered at a swift pace. Then they stopped. Will looked up to see Horace fighting off Jerome, introducing some of his own fighting style. Will glanced at Mikey, who seemed to be smiling throughout all of this.

After what Crowley had taught him, Mikey was in rather excellent fighting shape. He flawlessly deflected Alda's powerful blows, and in turn delivered his own. They were short, quick jabs. But even those leave their mark after a while. Punch after punch, Mikey blocked off every single one of Alda's lazy jabs. Now it was his turn.

Alda threw one final punch, easily deflected by Mikey. Now his whole chest was exposed. He looked up to see Mikey smiling with a certain vitality in his radiant blue eyes. Alda realized the mistake he made and instantly tried to strike again, only making things worse. Mikey handed combo after combo, in a flawless tempo. _Jab, Jab, take out the leg, Jab,_ Mikey repeated to himself as he took control of his attacker. After three more of these simple yet effective fighting techniques, Mikey was about to deliver one last blow, aimed straight for Alda's jaw. This one, he knew, would knock him out for sure. Barely an inch away from his face, Mikey's fist was immediately stopped of all motion. He tried to continue, but the iron grip was unbreakable

Confused, he looked over at Horace and Will. Both of them, through widened eyes, stared right back at Mikey. Even the three battleschool delinquents, although half unconscious, seemed to stare at him with the same expression. Expecting it to be a simple bystander, Mikey turned with an arrogant smile to the person that stopped him. Then his face went white. All arrogance was gone when he saw who stared back at him through cold, hard eyes.

It was Halt the Ranger.

**Chapter getting a little too big, deciding to end it.**

**Don't worry! There's going to be a second part**

**Anyone like that Cliffhanger?**

**Anyway please review. I'm planning on updating again sometime before Memorial Day.**

**Thanks!**

**-YDG (YahDig?)**


	10. Fight Pt2

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Happy Memorial Day everyone!**

**Thought I might update today**

**I have nothing else to do!**

**Anyway thanks to everyone who has reviewed and given me some advice and tips. Your awesome!**

**To the Story!**

Chapter Ten:

Fight (Part Two)

"H. . . Halt?" Mikey struggled. He had just been caught fighting Alda, a battleschool delinquent. He looked around. All three of them were still recovering on the ground.

"I can't leave you two alone for twenty minutes without something going wrong," Halt lied, referencing Mikey and Will. The truth was that he had been following Mikey ever since he left to go find Will. He hid a respective distance away, not making a sound. He had also watched both Mikey and Will fight, and was fairly impressed. They still need work, however.

"I can explain!" shouted Will.

"Explain then," Halt said calmly, finally letting go of Mikey's wrist, then folding his arms. Mikey rubbed his wrist tenderly.

"-," Halt raised a hand, signaling for his apprentice to stop. "Say that again, but this time slower," he said, putting a slow emphasis on the word "slower". Will took a deep breath. He started again.

"I was on my way back to the cabin when I saw Horace. We then talked until these three," he paused, pointing to the three boys that lay on the ground, regaining themselves. Then he continued. "started an argument. And-"

"And that's when I stepped in," Mikey said casually, still holding his wrist. "Nothing would have happened if he didn't punch me."

"Nothing would have happened if you didn't punch me!" Alda retorted. This started a giant argument between the six boys. Halt could only watch as they exchanged insults. The insults then turned into profanity. Seeing another fight heating up, Halt decided to put an end to this altercation.

"ENOUGH!" he yelled, immediately causing the boys to freeze. "Now you can all sit here and act like little kids, or you can shake each other's hand and get this over with!"

Reluctantly, Will and Horace made their way to their enemies and offered a hand shake. Angrily, Bryn and Jerome returned the gesture. But not Alda. Mikey noticed that Alda wouldn't let go of his hand. Trying to pull away, Mikey was caught off balance as Alda pulled his arm, jerking Mikey forward. He then used his left hand to deliver an unforgiving overhand punch to the back of Mikey's shoulder, dislocating it upon contact. Yelling in pain, Mikey couldn't move his right arm. He tried to retaliate using his left, but it was too late. Alda easily stopped his arm, then broke his wrist by shoving Mikey's hand upward and twisting it to the side.

Mikey, who now hurt in both arms, doubled over in pain. Alda, who still wasn't finished with his work, swiftly moved to the side of Mikey, reared back his right arm, and connected with Mikey's temple.

Mikey's vision was blurring. He had no clue what had just happened. He heard footsteps behind him, followed by the sound of shouting and yelling. His two arms were on fire. He tried to keep his balance, but failed as he saw the grass approaching him.

Then, everything went black.

"_So, that's what happened, huh?" _one familiar voice asked.

"_Yes. He's fine though. It'll just be a while until he wakes up." _the second voice said, a little gruffly.

"_Ha! Some pain he'll be in," _the first voice said, chuckling.

Mikey tried to see where he was, but was restricted due to the pounding headache that he had. He was completely light-sensitive, and he could only vaguely see through slit eyelids. He saw two cloaked figures, sitting at a table. Mikey soon recognized one of them as his master, Crowley. He tried to speak, but before he could, a searing pain ripped through his right shoulder. He softly whimpered in pain, as his headache disabled him from yelling.

Crowley heard this and quickly moved to his apprentice's side. He gently moved Mikey's arm, so that it was elevated on a small stack of pillows used for this very purpose. He then pulled the covers that had fallen off closer to Mikey's neck. Mikey had little reaction as he dozed off once more. Even though he had just laughed about the event that had just unfolded a couple hours ago, Crowley hated to see people like this. He knew that it would take weeks for Mikey's arm to recover. It would take months to get it up to par again. It killed him to see his own apprentice in this much pain. He knew Mikey's eagerness. And the thought of telling him that he couldn't participate in the upcoming boar hunt only crushed him even more. Seeing Mikey settled, Crowley stood up, and walked back to where he was sitting before, this time a little more concerned. He sighed as he faced Halt.

"Yeah, some pain he'll be in," he repeated.

**Decided to end this chapter before it got any worse**

**Started to get some major Writer's Block there.**

**Anyway review if you want to**

**Or don't**

**Also if someone could tell me how to PREVENT writers block that would be GREAT,**

**Peace! **

**-YDG**


	11. You Name it!

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice series or any of its characters, settings, etc. I do own any OC's that might be in this fanfiction. **

**I'm back! **

***YDG's back?* **

**Yeah! I'm back! **

**Well, after a very long time, I've found the reason to my writers block, well. . . uh, laziness. You see, I'm too lazy to actually write things down before I type them.**

**Hehe. . .**

**So, basically this means that half of this chapter is written down, the rest if off the top of my head! I'll stop once I run out of ideas!**

**This is probably going to be a throw away chapter. You know, the ones you don't really put that much effort into. . .**

**Once again, thanks to all my reviewers; Thanks!**

**Wow, over 100 words already. . .**

**On to the story!**

Chapter ?:

(I don't know. I'm bad at naming chapters :])

"Damn it. . .."

"Damn it. . .

"Damn it. . ,"

Mikey repeated repeatedly to himself as he desperately tried to lift his mug of coffee with his injured right arm. He was fully aware of Crowley sitting just across the table, staring at him with a wide grin on his face.

"Need help?" Crowley asked, still smiling.

"No! I'm fine!" Mikey instantly snapped back. He picked up the mug with his left hand, wincing a little because of his healing wrist. There was an awkward silence, soon to broken by Crowley.

"Five minutes and thirty one seconds," he said. Mikey looked up in confusion.

"What?" asked the apprentice.

"It took you ten minutes and thirty one seconds for you to realize that you have another hand," Crowley further explained.

"You counted how long it took?" Mikey asked, still confused. Crowley lifted from his seat and proceeded to where their supplies rested for a "trip" they were about to embark on, as Crowley had put it.

"Nope," was Crowley's simple reply as he did so.

Now deciding to change the subject, Mikey interrogated his mentor even further.

"So, where are we headed to exactly?" he asked. Crowley looked up at his apprentice.

"We're going to the annual Ranger Gathering," He replied.

"Gathering?"

"Another question?" Crowley said while laughing. "Anyway, yes. The Gathering. You'll get to see your fellow comrades; and train with them too. "

"Wait. I have a question," Mikey started.

"What a surprise," Crowley said, laughing again. Mikey ignored him and continued.

"Why are we leaving so early?" He protested. Even though Rangers woke at a fairly early time, Crowley had his apprentice up and ready far before the typical Ranger."

"I'm the head of the Ranger Corps! We can't have the leader of this whole thing showing up late, right?

"Uh. . .Right."

"Well of course I'm right! Now let's get going!" Crowley said as he and Mikey exited the cabin.

Despite the near vacancy, the mainland of Araluen carried a wonderful sight. Even Mikey, who was normally used to this, took a second to view the trees that were becoming more vibrant by the day. The crisp, autumn air added more to this temporary euphoria. Mikey took a deep breath as he settled into this fine morning.

"Nice morning, hmm?" Crowley asked as he saw his younger apprentice constantly eyeing the vivid scenery around him. He too enjoyed the perfect weather.

Mikey, now knocked out of his trance, answered.

"Oh! Uh, yeah." He awkwardly replied. Now alert again, he asked a question that had been on his mind for some time.

"So, what do we do exactly?" he asked. Crowley looked at him, a little perplexed.

"What do you mean?" he asked in return.

"The Gathering. What do the apprentices do?" Crowley understood. After all, this was his first Gathering.

"Well, train with other apprentices, I suppose. As for us, we have things to discuss."

"Things like what?" Mikey asked. Crowley became serious.

"Things like Mogarath." He started. "We need to find out exactly what he's up to."

Mikey instantly became alert at the name Mogarath. He, as well as everyone else, had heard about his banishment from the kingdom. He was shocked to see that he hadn't disappeared completely. He thought of another question.

"Do you know anything so far?" he asked, all kidding aside.

"He is said to have an army of wargals, and he is preparing to get revenge on the kingdom," Crowley replied.

Mikey, as avid as his mind could be, thought of these beautiful streets in flames in terror. He shuddered a little at the thought. Crowley saw the movement and reassured his apprentice.

"Don't worry about it though," he said cheerfully. "Hopefully we can stop him before it gets bad."

"Yeah, hopefully," Mikey sighed to himself.

LATER THAT DAY. Or NIGHT. NO, NEVER MIND DAY. WELL, I GUESS YOU CAN-

NEVER MIND. (**That was a transition btw :]**)

"Alright. We can stop here." Crowley told Mikey as he dismounted his Ranger horse, Sonic. Mikey, in turn, dismounted Silver (**eh? Anyone take a guess? No? alright.) **and set up the one man tent that he carried with his other travel necessities. The sun was setting now, and the sky was a beautiful shade of orange. Mikey turned to his mentor.

"Fire?" he asked.

"Hmmm," Crowley thought for a minute. "I guess we can risk it."

Not knowing what exactly they were risking by using a fire, Mikey found some pieces of dried wood that would burn nicely. That night, they fed on dried fruit, and cold meat, as well as water from their canteens. It was getting late know, so Mikey decided to take first watch.

"You know what to do if you see anything," Crowley told him before turning over and appeared to doze off.

Mikey found a vantage point that Crowley had found while setting up camp. He took cover in it, concealed perfectly by the night, and his cloak. Recurve bow in hand, he watched.

Nothing.

He scanned the area around him, searching for any sign of movement. Once again, nothing. He considered dozing off for just a few moments, and tricked himself into doing so. He closed his eyes and relaxed for a bit.

Then, he heard something.

Eyes shooting open, he scanned the area once more, making sure that he didn't make a sound.

Then, he heard it again.

It sounded familiar. Hoof beats, he thought. They moved at a slow canter, then stopped completely. Mikey knew that he had to alert Crowley, but if he moved to fast, they would be sure to hear him. Ever so slowly, he crept his was out of the vantage point, and started back towards the two tents that were in sight. As he became closer to where Crowley was, he accidentally stepped on a fallen branch, which cracked, emitting a small "pop". Cursing to himself quietly, he quickly moved on.

He was almost there when an arrow hit the ground just before his feet. Terrified, he almost shrieked in fear. They heard him. They knew where he was.

He was caught.

**Oooh, cliffhanger.**

**Now you have to review. Because you read it, so you might as well. You know, just for the hell of it.**

**I'm just kidding! You don't have to review. But it would be nice too.**

**Anyway ill try to update more often, and not once every month.**

**BYEE!**

**-YDG (YaDig?)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Crowley's Apprentice**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranger's Apprentice series or any of its characters. I do own any OC's that might be in this fanfic.**

**Second Disclaimer: I do not own any songs that I might incorporate within this fanfic. The songs belong to their rightful artist**

**^^ Just trying to be safe :) ^^**

**Update time!**

**Once again, thanks to all of my reviewers; you guys rock!**

**That is all.**

Chapter Twelve (I think?)

Name it again!

_Just five minutes ago, Mikey was resting silently in a vantage point Crowley had found earlier that day, not expecting even the slightest amount of trouble. After all, they were in a dense forest. It seemed like in the blink of an eye, Mikey found himself running for his life, with the sound of arrows close behind him, slowly closing in on their target. He had to warn Crowley before it was too late. _

_He considered shooting an arrow, but found it wasteful to shoot at an unseen target. It would also waste time, which is the reason behind this predicament. _

_Could I hide? Mikey asked himself. He found a patch of thick forest plant life and decided to give it a try. Settling into the meager amount of cover he had, he silently waited. His question was soon answered as an arrow hissed just above his head. He ran._

_Whoever was pursuing him was obviously covering ground faster. He tried to run faster, hoping to outrun his opponent. He was so close to the two one man tents that Crowley would most likely hear his rapidly approaching footsteps._

_Then, he stumbled._

_Falling to the ground with a thud, Mikey tried to regain his footing. All he could hear was another arrow, hissing through the night. All he felt was fear. What he felt next should have been the end of him._

_An arrow. _

Gasping for air, Mikey opened his eyes, only to find himself still neatly hidden behind the vantage point. Only now he was clutching his shoulder. Cautiously, he checked his arm. Nothing. Glancing at the night sky, he realized that his time for watch was now over. Wearily, he proceeded back to where his mentor was. He shook Crowley awake lightly, then wrapped himself in his cloak, dreaming of nothing else that night.

Later that morning, the Ranger and his apprentice were back on the road, heading to the annual Ranger Gathering. On the way, Crowley had given another one of his lectures about the history of the Ranger Corps and even Araluen itself. Mikey, as exhausted as he was, vaguely listened to Crowley's rambling. He learned previously that Crowley likes to repeat himself, and that it most certainly wouldn't be the last time that he would find himself hearing about this topic.

"Oh, and speaking of Rangers," Crowley said in the middle of his ramble. "We should be arriving at our designated area by tomorrow. "

_Finally, something important, _Mikey thought as he glanced over at his teacher. A sudden question entered his mind. Without thinking, he spoke.

"Hey Crowley?" he asked. Crowley looked over.

"Hmm?"

"I've been wondering; is Crowley your first or last name?"

Crowley, despite the confusion by the random question that had no relevance to his earlier statements, laughed quietly.

"Why does it matter?"

"I. . .I don't know," Mikey replied. He felt stupid.

"Well then, consider this question unresolved!"

Later that evening, Crowley and Mikey decided to set up camp a little early. After feeding on dried beef, fruit, and cold water once more, they took some time to relax. Mikey, sensing that there was nothing better to do, reached for his guitar case. Crowley, reading some unfinished reports he had brought along, smiled as he watched his apprentice tuning his guitar with great concentration.

After about twenty minutes of tuning, Mikey played the first couple chords to an original composition, which he had never thought about naming.

_It's cold so_

_I cover myself with this blanket_

_But the weather's the same and I hate this_

_I'm warm for this moment alone_

He played a short breakdown, then started again

_And I don't see, anyway_

_That I could mean_

_Anything, to you._

Mikey frowned. Some notes sounded wrong. Instantly, he began to tune again, this time with even greater concentration. Crowley chuckled.

"You know, guitars don't always have to be perfectly tuned, right?"

"Yes, I do. But it would be nice if they were." Mikey retorted. Crowley overheard soft greetings from their Ranger horses, and immediately knew who it was. He turned back to Mikey.

"Well then, why don't you ask Ranger Berrigan? I'm sure he'll be glad to help." Mikey looked up.

"Ranger who?"

"That's Ranger _Berrigan_ I believe. And it's not the guitar, it's your finger placement," the man spoke. Mikey examined him closer. His hair was black, which he kept long. Followed by blue eyes, the man had high cheekbones and a prominent nose. Mikey could also see that he had a "peg leg".

"Berrigan, this is my apprentice, Mikey." Crowley said.

"Very nice to meet you. Now let's fix your F chord. It sounded to me like a cat just died." Berrigan lied.

That night, after a pretty lengthy guitar session, Mikey noticed a significant change in the overall sound of his music. Taking first watch again, found a likeable vantage point. As he settled in, he reminded himself. He laughed at the thought of the previous night. While cursing at himself because of his vivid imagination, he vowed never to doze off on watch again. He gently set down his recurve bow and simply observed. He didn't see any crazy assassins or arrows; just him and the night sky.

That is, until he fell asleep again.

**Done!**

**Don't forget to review now. Even an anonymous review would be appreciated :) **

**Sorry for any grammatical errors, if any. I need to reinstall Microsoft Word :D**

**Peace out!**

**-YDG**


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